This invention relates to enclosures for apparatus that, during operation, generates heat and sound energy. More particularly, it relates to an enclosure for a turbine engine used for such applications as marine or industrial.
Gas turbine engines used to generate power in marine or industrial applications are required to be contained or packaged in an enclosure to reduce levels of noise or sound energy and heat generated during engine operation, as well as to provide fire protection. Typically, current designs of such enclosures include heavy metal structures based on the theory that mass is the primary factor in sound attenuation and therefore increased mass results in increased sound attenuation or transmission loss. Accordingly, the walls of current enclosures include heavy, solid and porous metal plates with a large number of stiffening beams to achieve a desired sound frequency attenuation. Damping compound is added to provide damping of acoustic energy and reduce heat transmission. The result is an extremely heavy acoustic enclosure.
In some vehicles such as marine vessels, excessive weight of an engine enclosure can require more fuel to propel the vessel. Therefore, it is advantageous and desirable to provide a lightweight enclosure that can include enhanced acoustic characteristics and reduced heat transfer through enclosure walls, along with fire protection.